Freightliner Intermodal EA – In principle Agreement Reached

During the recent EA negotiations with Freightliner Intermodel the union was striving to standardise wherever possible the Freightliner EAs and secure the same excellent conditions as provided in the Coal EA.

After lengthy negotiations, the main sticking point came down to the wage outcome as part of a package, with this now being resolved the Intermodal EA has been agreed in principle by the Locomotive Division following membership support.

The in principle agreement (subject to membership voting) provides for the following major changes:

•  A wage outcome of 5 + 4 + 4 over three years,
• A reduction in the ordinary hours duty cycle from 16 weeks (608 hours) to 4 weeks (152 hours)
• Barracks detention (which starts from the 12 hour) will stand alone and not be used to make up ordinary duty cycle hours.
• Working on a Book Off day hours will stand alone and be paid as overtime (currently either credited another Day off or added to annual leave hours).

There have also been quite a number of other changes to bring the EA into line with the Freightliner Coal Agreement

The final agreement has now been sent to members for the formal voting process to commence.